Fujifilm GA645i Professional

Skullsroad · 03-10-2011, 01:52 AM

I just picked one of these up today. As a street shooter, I wasn't too keen on lugging around a Pentax 645 ( found lots of great deals though ) so I went on the hunt for a cheap, compact and easy to use system that lets me shoot fast. The GA645 seemed to fit the bill and I'll find out for sure after I drop my first roll off. So far I love the build. Good quality plastics and very positive feel from the buttons and dials.

I got a pretty good deal on it I think. The camera is in great condition and along with it came a close up kit with some weird framing bracket, a vari-angle tripod bracket, a flash and bracket ( which also doubles and a horizontal grip ) and a bunch of filters, totaling $400. This is the only body I found that still had the original lens cap and hood, as well.

I'm a bit of a film newbie so I have a few questions. I shot some Portra 800 through it today and will see the results next week. What are options in terms of C41 process film? So far all I know of are Portra 160, 400 and 800, Ilford X-P2 400 and Fujicolor Pro 400. Also, do the more professional camera stores process non-C41 film? Seems very labor intensive considering all the steps.

Ratmagiclady · 03-10-2011, 07:45 AM

Wow, that's one funky flash/bracket. Don't believe I've ever seen one of those before.

But, yeah, professional labs ought to be able to do what films are available out there in 120. Conventional black and white is something I do myself if at all practicable, but in the Bay area there ought to be plenty of places that'll do you up.

Check out freestylephoto.biz. They are friends of film people and they give pretty decent writeups on the different films out there. Also, feel free to drop in on the Film boards, but a lot of the same people read this board, too. (Film types tend to use all kinds of different cameras.

)

eddie1960 · 03-10-2011, 07:57 AM

For colour i think the new Portra 400 (not vc etc) is going to be the new standard. Tuco just did some tests with it and the latitude is absolutely phenomenal
if you are doing your own b/w start with the easy to scan stuff like ilford and kodak (say hp5 or tri-x) old school films but they dry nice and flat and aren't overly dense for scanning
I liked the Rollei from a look standpoint but it is such a huge PITA to get flat i'll never buy it again
+1 on freestyle, though BH is currently cheaper on C41, freestyle is cheaper on True b/w (this is actually pretty much the normal pricing breakout) - I use Freestyle for it all as i can't be bothered dealing with 2 cross border shipments to save $5-10 the customs fees will cost me more than that

Skullsroad · 03-14-2011, 10:48 PM

Just wanted to pop in and thank you guys for the replies. I got my first roll processed and it turned out great. Medium format + small prints = no grain. Even on 800. I just put some T-Max 100 in there and I'm anxious to see what B+W looks like at such low ISO (only shot 400 35mm previously). I went crazy and bought a roll of Delta 100, PAN F Plus and Acros as well.

Ratmagiclady · 03-18-2011, 09:33 AM

Glad to hear it.

For fine grain, any of those ought to make you pretty happy in MF. It's when you look at bigger prints (or crops) that the different grain structures/more sharpness ought to be obvious.

I was never a 'Finer grain!' fiend, myself: I like some texture. (I always liked old Plus-X: *pretty* grain. Don't know if they make that in 120 anymore, though.)

eddie1960 · 03-18-2011, 09:40 AM

Originally posted by Ratmagiclady

Glad to hear it.

For fine grain, any of those ought to make you pretty happy in MF. It's when you look at bigger prints (or crops) that the different grain structures/more sharpness ought to be obvious.

I was never a 'Finer grain!' fiend, myself: I like some texture. (I always liked old Plus-X: *pretty* grain. Don't know if they make that in 120 anymore, though.)

Plus x was still there last time i looked (nice film) and trix on MF looks better than plusx 35 on smaller prints
Pan f is a hell of a film on 645 you'll be able to go really big or crop big time with good results

edit : I need to delete this thread every time i open it I have a serious GAS attack nice kit damn.

Nesster · 03-18-2011, 02:38 PM

Ditto on the kit.

Plus-X unfortunately is gone, as is Neopan 400, in 120.

eddie1960 · 03-18-2011, 04:23 PM

damn it's getting harder and harder to find a film to stick with in 120

Skullsroad · 03-18-2011, 11:38 PM

Yeah. MF is truly an adventure. I was hoping to find Fuji 800 but alas, I got into the game too late. I bought up a whole bunch of Portra 800 in case they decide to give it the ax. One thing that ticked me off though. Last week I popped into a shop and purchased 2 rolls of Portra 800 for $16 including tax. The very next week (same salesman too) I was charged $25!! For TWO rolls!! He claimed that Kodak is raising prices. Hmm...everywhere else seems to sell at a reasonable rate. Business lost.

Here's a new question. Is it worth shooting slide? Do the pictures look significantly crisper? I guess I should shoot a roll and find out but man the prices are practically double.

Nesster · 03-19-2011, 03:27 AM

Personally, the cost equation for slides makes them an occasional treat for me. In the past, slides produced significantly better images, though of course with presentation issues (need a projector or viewer)... These days with scanning being a major route, I don't think slides offer as great an advantage.

There are of course people who disagree with that, and yes, on an absolute basis, slides do offer the 'best'.

03-10-2011, 01:52 AM	#1
Skullsroad Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bay Area Posts: 267	Fujifilm GA645i Professional I just picked one of these up today. As a street shooter, I wasn't too keen on lugging around a Pentax 645 ( found lots of great deals though ) so I went on the hunt for a cheap, compact and easy to use system that lets me shoot fast. The GA645 seemed to fit the bill and I'll find out for sure after I drop my first roll off. So far I love the build. Good quality plastics and very positive feel from the buttons and dials. I got a pretty good deal on it I think. The camera is in great condition and along with it came a close up kit with some weird framing bracket, a vari-angle tripod bracket, a flash and bracket ( which also doubles and a horizontal grip ) and a bunch of filters, totaling $400. This is the only body I found that still had the original lens cap and hood, as well. I'm a bit of a film newbie so I have a few questions. I shot some Portra 800 through it today and will see the results next week. What are options in terms of C41 process film? So far all I know of are Portra 160, 400 and 800, Ilford X-P2 400 and Fujicolor Pro 400. Also, do the more professional camera stores process non-C41 film? Seems very labor intensive considering all the steps.

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03-10-2011, 07:45 AM	#2
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Wow, that's one funky flash/bracket. Don't believe I've ever seen one of those before. But, yeah, professional labs ought to be able to do what films are available out there in 120. Conventional black and white is something I do myself if at all practicable, but in the Bay area there ought to be plenty of places that'll do you up. Check out freestylephoto.biz. They are friends of film people and they give pretty decent writeups on the different films out there. Also, feel free to drop in on the Film boards, but a lot of the same people read this board, too. (Film types tend to use all kinds of different cameras. )

03-10-2011, 07:57 AM	#3
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	For colour i think the new Portra 400 (not vc etc) is going to be the new standard. Tuco just did some tests with it and the latitude is absolutely phenomenal if you are doing your own b/w start with the easy to scan stuff like ilford and kodak (say hp5 or tri-x) old school films but they dry nice and flat and aren't overly dense for scanning I liked the Rollei from a look standpoint but it is such a huge PITA to get flat i'll never buy it again +1 on freestyle, though BH is currently cheaper on C41, freestyle is cheaper on True b/w (this is actually pretty much the normal pricing breakout) - I use Freestyle for it all as i can't be bothered dealing with 2 cross border shipments to save $5-10 the customs fees will cost me more than that

03-14-2011, 10:48 PM	#4
Skullsroad Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bay Area Posts: 267 Original Poster	Just wanted to pop in and thank you guys for the replies. I got my first roll processed and it turned out great. Medium format + small prints = no grain. Even on 800. I just put some T-Max 100 in there and I'm anxious to see what B+W looks like at such low ISO (only shot 400 35mm previously). I went crazy and bought a roll of Delta 100, PAN F Plus and Acros as well.

03-18-2011, 09:33 AM	#5
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Glad to hear it. For fine grain, any of those ought to make you pretty happy in MF. It's when you look at bigger prints (or crops) that the different grain structures/more sharpness ought to be obvious. I was never a 'Finer grain!' fiend, myself: I like some texture. (I always liked old Plus-X: pretty grain. Don't know if they make that in 120 anymore, though.)

03-18-2011, 09:40 AM	#6
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by Ratmagiclady Glad to hear it. For fine grain, any of those ought to make you pretty happy in MF. It's when you look at bigger prints (or crops) that the different grain structures/more sharpness ought to be obvious. I was never a 'Finer grain!' fiend, myself: I like some texture. (I always liked old Plus-X: pretty grain. Don't know if they make that in 120 anymore, though.) Plus x was still there last time i looked (nice film) and trix on MF looks better than plusx 35 on smaller prints Pan f is a hell of a film on 645 you'll be able to go really big or crop big time with good results edit : I need to delete this thread every time i open it I have a serious GAS attack nice kit damn.

03-18-2011, 02:38 PM	#7
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Ditto on the kit. Plus-X unfortunately is gone, as is Neopan 400, in 120.

03-18-2011, 04:23 PM	#8
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	damn it's getting harder and harder to find a film to stick with in 120

03-18-2011, 11:38 PM	#9
Skullsroad Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bay Area Posts: 267 Original Poster	Yeah. MF is truly an adventure. I was hoping to find Fuji 800 but alas, I got into the game too late. I bought up a whole bunch of Portra 800 in case they decide to give it the ax. One thing that ticked me off though. Last week I popped into a shop and purchased 2 rolls of Portra 800 for $16 including tax. The very next week (same salesman too) I was charged $25!! For TWO rolls!! He claimed that Kodak is raising prices. Hmm...everywhere else seems to sell at a reasonable rate. Business lost. Here's a new question. Is it worth shooting slide? Do the pictures look significantly crisper? I guess I should shoot a roll and find out but man the prices are practically double.

03-19-2011, 03:27 AM	#10
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Personally, the cost equation for slides makes them an occasional treat for me. In the past, slides produced significantly better images, though of course with presentation issues (need a projector or viewer)... These days with scanning being a major route, I don't think slides offer as great an advantage. There are of course people who disagree with that, and yes, on an absolute basis, slides do offer the 'best'.